Monthly Archives: October 2011

Just finished Whateverland, the new book by Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt. The thrown together self-proclaimed anti self-help book doesn’t add much to the conversation. Filled with anecdotes and affluence-skewed life advice, the content retreads material familiar to fans of Whatever Martha! or the pair’s satellite radio show. The throwaway read was quite the disappointment until I reached the conclusion, where out of no where the two announce, “Our working relationship and friendship were great while they lasted.” Odd, right? It is one thing to have a falling out with a friend; it is another to confess it in the book you co-wrote. Last week Jennifer and Alexis appeared on The Today Show and much ado has been made about Stewart’s icy demeanor. She was chilly, but when has Alexisever been warm and fuzzy?Alexis made a few pointed digs about “clingyness” and serving the silent treatment, but so far the details of the friendship demise are sketchy. Jennifer appears to be taking the high road, even going so far as to say she “loves” Alexis despite their rift. So what’s the story ladies? Unless Jennifer dropped your new baby Jude on her head or something, Alexis should really get over it and stop acting like she’s flush with friends. A loyal friend is hard to find. Let the little things go and forgive.

So I’m certainly not suggesting you hand out raisins or anything, but at least consider going vegan when selecting treats to pass out this year. Here are a few animal-friendly options for the ungrateful brats.

After struggling with persistent skin issues recently, a trustworthy and glowy-faced friend recommended the Clarisonic face brush. Having owned the “Classic” and “Mia,” she recommended the less expensive and more portable Mia, arguing the expanded features of the Classic cannot justify the added cost.A week ago, I received my very own Mia. Clarisonic claims the vibrating and rotating brush removes six times more makeup than traditional cleansing. I concur with this claim; my face passes the white towel test after using the Clarisonic. Without question, skin is cleaner and makeup is thoroughly and gently eradicated. The mild humming exfoliation feels like a mini facial massage. The brush works with virtually any cleanser and the waterproof design makes it shower-friendly.After the first few uses, smoother skin emerges and texture noticeably improves. Makeup glides on skin. Breakouts have improved, but this isn’t a magic machine.Consider the following drawbacks. The initial investment is around $120. The replacement heads are pricey (2/$40). And who needs another gadget that requires an outlet to charge? It is easy to over do it and cause irritation. Twice a day might be too much for some, even with the sensitive brush.

I look forward to experiencing what the Mia has to offer in week two, and I promise to share it with all of you. xox, DC

Stand back and survey your accomplishments with the Seven of Pentacles. After putting in exhausting effort over several weeks, it is time to take a breather and review the progress to date. Take a moment to enjoy the lush and tangible rewards reaped from the substantial nurturing of your heart’s treasures. Time remains to shape and prune the future. Evaluate whether your life is headed in the right direction. When reversed, be wary of lending or asking for a loan.

Halloween is just a week away, so it is officially time to start panicking over a costume. Beware of these common dress-up blunders to avoid humiliation, mockery, and generally making an ass of yourself this year.

Don’t go too slutty. Did we learn anything from Kelly Taylor’s turn as a slutty witch on that classic Halloween episode of BH 90210? Don’t be a desperate shivering bitch tromping around in next-to-nothing. Halloween is not an excuse to act out your deepest exhibitionist fantasy in public. Go with a clever rather than cooter-revealing costume to elicit legit attention. On this same tip, dressing up as Snooki is so 3 years ago and totally forbidden.Don’t overly complicate. Returning to BH 90210, (where all of life’s most essential lessons are learned), don’t pull a Donna Martin mermaid moment and wear some get-up that restricts basic mobility. Everyone will snicker behind your back and it smacks of over-effort. On the other end of the spectrum, Don’t go too cutesy. The most successful costumes frighten, disguise, imitate, or evoke humor. If you wanna go pretty-pretty princess, throw on an old prom dress, pour fake blood over your head, and go as Carrie.